Upper-limb function of children with myelomeningocele

Upper-limb function of 33 children aged between four and 17 years, all with myelomeningocele and hydrocephalus, was investigated by clinical examination and formal tests of hand function. Cerebellar ataxia alone or with other neurological signs was the most common disorder detected. Hand-function scores were determined for each child and for different components of hand function, and the mean score for the whole group was only 59 per cent. In general, children over 11 years of age scored significantly better than younger ones. Children under 11 years of age with a milder degree of hydrocephalus or who were right-handed also scored significantly better. Only two children had clinically normal upper limbs.